Forest fire in Soneja forces evacuation of Azuébar as military unit joins firefighting

Fire outbreak and initial response

A forest fire broke out at midday on Sunday, July 5, in the municipality of Soneja, in the province of Castellón, Valencian Community. The flames quickly spread through forested areas, generating a large column of smoke visible from several kilometers away. The Provincial Fire Consortium described the fire's evolution as "negative" in the early hours of the intervention. In response, the Generalitat Valenciana activated the Special Forest Fire Plan (PEIF) and, by 16:15, raised it to Situation 2, a level declared when an emergency may seriously affect the population and non-forest property, requiring the incorporation of extraordinary resources.

Evacuation and safety measures

As the fire gained strength, authorities ordered the evacuation of the nearby town of Azuébar, home to around 360 residents. The mayor of Soneja, Benjamín Escriche, confirmed that evacuees were being relocated to Soneja.

They are evacuating the population of Azuébar and taking them to Soneja. The fire is quite worrying because it is gaining strength.

To facilitate firefighting operations, the port of Sagunto was closed to allow aerial means to load water more quickly.

Resources deployed

A total of ten aerial means were mobilized, including the coordination helicopter of the Generalitat and two aircraft from the Ministry of Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge. On the ground, eight forest firefighter units of the Generalitat (three of them helitransported), four units of the Provincial Consortium, an environmental agent, a Fire Prevention Unit, coordinators, forest technicians, and a 35,000-liter tanker truck were deployed. The Spanish Military Emergency Unit (UME) was also incorporated into the firefighting efforts, as confirmed by the Government delegate in the Valencian Community, Pilar Bernabé.

Much concern to the citizens. Much encouragement to those working on extinguishing the fire.

Official coordination

Bernabé emphasized that all agencies were working "in a coordinated manner" to bring the fire under control. The declaration of Situation 2 under the PEIF allows for the mobilization of state-level resources and the establishment of the Cecopi (Integrated Operational Coordination Center) if needed. The measure reflects the seriousness of the blaze and the potential risk to populated areas.

Other fires in the region

Meanwhile, another forest fire was active in the municipality of Castellfort, also in Castellón province, where three forest firefighter units and three aerial means were deployed. The simultaneous fires are straining regional firefighting resources.